Bravado
by scarlettstones
Summary: "Edward, I do worse things than your kind. I don't feed on blood, but I feed on human souls until their bodies turn into dust— and I can't stop because it feels so good." Bella has lived with a curse for centuries. Now, as the newest student at Forks, she captures the attention of the Cullens.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Sighs. I swear, I make too much stories that I can't even finish them. I promise, I will still be updating Fatally Flawless, Attracting Flies and It's Time. I just somehow happened to have had another idea. Hope you guys enjoy this one, because it's very different to all the stories I've done. **

**Scarlett**

Notes: In this story, Bella is a countess cursed to be a demon roaming on Earth for eternity, but she does not attend to the devil himself.

She may have wings, but she is NOT a fallen angel or other supernatural being. She's a demon.

A Black Shuck is a demonic dog that terrorized villages centuries ago.

The Cullens are vampires in this story and they all still have the same background and pairings. The only OOC character in this story is Bella and her family members.

_And now, on with the story..._

** 21 February 1457**

**Half past midnight, Powderham Castle, ****England**

_I heard a muffled scream from my chamber._

_I was a light sleeper back then, and any soft sound could wake me. Begrudgingly, I rolled out of my bed and grabbed my robe from the divider at the corner of my chamber and lit up my lamp. I opened the large door and it creaked softly. Scanning the hallways, I caught a glimpse of shadows running away and I walked in their direction only to find my mother lying on the floor, crimson stained on the carpets._

_"Mother!" I exclaimed, darting towards her. "What happened?"_

_"Isabella, go!" My mother gasped, grabbing my arm tightly as she stared up into my eyes. "Save yourself!"_

_"What are you talking about?" I asked, glancing up to see who she was talking about._

_She gasped sharply, making me look back down at her and she clutched onto her stomach. Dark red stained her gold dress. I removed her hand and could see a wound so deep and big that I knew she wouldn't survive through._

_"Come closer," she whispered. I leaned nearer towards her and she gulped down before she spoke again. "I am so sorry, Isabella, but they offered to give me a child and I couldn't refuse that. You are always my beautiful daughter, but do not let other circumstances change what we have."_

_"Mother?" I demanded. "What is happening?"_

_She shook her head. "Run now. Leave me be. I am dying after all, and you cannot save me. Run as far as you can, so that they will not capture you and send you back to the pits of hell."_

_"Pits of hell? Mother, whatever you are saying, I do not understand!" I told her. "Tell me!"_

_She shook her head. "No. Now you must go! Isabella, go."_

_I went on to let go of her body as she took her last few breaths. She gave me one last glance before her eyes turned lifeless. I stood up and heard footsteps along the hallway of the castle. Panicking, I ran the opposite direction of where I heard the footsteps and tried to find the secret doors throughout the castle. So far, I tried every nook and cranny. I had no such luck on my side._

_My white nightdress were no use for me as I ran. Voices got louder as I neared another turn. With only one turn, I took that way._

Dead end.

_Shadows got closer and bigger and I closed my eyes out of fear of the unknown. A long finger caressed the side of my face softly and I could feel wisps of hair that weren't mine on my skin. I trembled as my eyes tightened close._

_"Isabella," a lady's voice whispered in my ear. "Are you ready to go back to hell?"_

_I shook my head. "I don't belong in hell!"_

_"Oh yes you do." She laughed. "Funny, isn't it? How your mother named you in God's name is ironic when she made a deal with the devil just to have you?"_

_"Don't bring me to hell, please!" I begged. "Let me stay here on Earth!"_

_"Oh Isabella, you may be of a noble mortal family, but I am not going to treat you any less like a lowlife beggar! Now get up!"_

_"No!" I fought back. "I'm going to stay on Earth and that is final!"_

_I could hear the lady's voice hiss. "Very well then. I sentence you to life on Earth forever, but the only thing you will feed on is the souls of humans!" She stated. "Being a demon among the living is as good as being among the dead."_

_As soon as I heard those words, physical pain rippled down my back as I heard tearing. My throat began to burst into flames and my eyes flew open._

The alarm clock just went off right when I realized that I was suspended in the air with my raven wings slightly open but enough to keep me off the ground. My throat did burn from that dream, and that was just a normal occurrence in this household. I sighed, landing on the floor slowly not to wake anyone up. I showered, got changed and went down to the hidden chamber in the castle, where my feast was waiting for me.

Henry, the butler, stood by the doors. He bowed. "Good morning, My Lady."

"Good morning, Henry. Is my breakfast fresh and conscious?" I asked.

He nodded. "Just like you asked."

He opened the doors and I saw a man whose head snapped up from staring at the Black Shuck I've been looking for. Fear flashed across his eyes as I neared him. Beside him, barking violently was my Black Shuck. His beady red eyes caught sight of me and he made a dash for me. I stood on my toes and hugged my seven-foot-tall Black Shuck.

"Emile, oh goodness, I've been looking for you everywhere. Were you looking after my meal so that he wouldn't run away?" I asked, scratching the back of my Black Shuck's ear.

He growled towards the man in front of us and barked out.

I kissed his furry ear. "I know." I then unwrapped my arms around Emile, the Black Shuck, and took a deep breath, taking in the sweet scent of the mortal soul in front of me. "I'm too hungry to think right now."

I darted to the man and grabbed him by his neck. As he gasped for air, I took that as a chance to finally indulge in my meal. His essence was fading and his life force was starting to waver when I opened my mouth and sucked his soul out of the body. Once I was done with him, I just let go of the body and it turned into ashes. I snatched up my gloves and wore them on again. Emile walked out of the chamber with me and into the dining room.

"Good morning, Joseph." I greeted.

The man in the dining hall was in his mid-forties, with dark brown hair and hazel eyes. He just so happened to be one of my family's descendants. Every single descendant in my family knew of me and what that curse from hell had made me into, but they didn't mind and treated me like family. Of course, they didn't like talking about my diet and did nothing to anger me. Joseph was currently the head of the family and the Earl of Devon. Every eighty years, I'd forge a death certificate and renew my status as Countess of Devon. I kept myself out of the spotlight as much as I could. There were already websites about the supernatural claiming me to be a demon.

"Good morning, Isabella. Have you had your breakfast?" He asked, flipping a page through his copy of the Daily Telegraph.

"Yes. Breakfast was fine. How about you?"

"The cooks have learnt how to make your signature toast with butter. It was very tasty." He told me.

"Oh?" I raised my eyebrows. "Where is Annie?"

"Annie already left for school. She has a music project to present today." He paused, then placed his papers down as he looked me in the eye.

"What do you intend on asking, Joseph?" I sighed.

"Have you traveled to anywhere else out of the country?"

I pondered over my memories that had built up over the past seven centuries and then shook my head. "The farthest I've been is to Scotland in sixteen forty-six. I went there during a bad time though— war between England and Scotland were ongoing. Well, at least the scenery was pretty."

"Isabella, have you ever given a thought to going overseas to, you know, take up a new degree or even for a holiday? You can even find work then after your next supposed death, you can return here." Joseph suggested.

Emile who was beside me growled. Seemed like he didn't like the suggestion too. "This is my home, Joseph. What are you trying to get me to do?" I hissed.

Joseph blinked once. "Calm down, Isabella. It was, after all, a suggestion. The New World is a very interesting place to explore, especially. You may be watching it through the telly, but the world is a wider place than this. Even Coronation Street reruns are starting to get a little too old, isn't it?" He chuckled, picking up the newspapers. "Give it a thought."

We sat in silence together as I contemplated about it. The New World? I haven't even left the continent before. And, well, Joseph did make it sound interesting.

I sighed. "Okay, fine. Maybe I'll study in America soon."

"Good to hear," he replied nonchalantly. "It'll be a good experience for you to discover the world. I don't know if you realize it, but It's changed a lot throughout the centuries."

"Of course I realize it. I may be over seven centuries old, but I'm still physically sixteen." I told him. "I'm pretty sure I have the energy."

"Yes, yes. You have not changed one bit. It is strange that you have seen me when I was once a child." Joseph said. "So how long will you stay there?"

"I'm not sure. I will come back for the holidays and Christmas, though." I replied.

"It's bizarre to think that even though you are a creature that God doesn't really like, you do celebrate Jesus's birth." He pursed his lips. "Well, we sure will miss you. When do you plan on leaving?"

"As soon as I find a small town to live in. I've decided on getting at least a basic diploma again. The less attention I get, the easier it will be." I said, then stood up. "I better find a place soon then."

"If you need anything, Isabella, I'll be willing to help." Joseph told me.

"Thank you." I muttered before leaving the dining hall. Emile huffed behind me as he followed me into my chamber.

My chamber was pretty much the same as it was ever since my mortal days seven centuries ago. A velvet red bed sheet was casted over the queen-sized bed that the silver bedpost held. There was still the same polished wood vanity table beside my bed with the newly-cleaned mirror from 1786. The wooden rectangular box with a padlock has been in the chamber was passed down to me from my mother and the divider where I normally changed my clothes was at the corner of the chamber. I've tried to take care of those furniture that was made out of wood as carefully as possible to make them last, but sometimes they would crumble without any signs.

I took out the laptop I recently bought a few weeks ago and started it up. I sighed as I stared at the screen— just when I was about to get used to computers, there just had to be a more advanced version of it. Being immortal is hard.

I opened a page to the Internet and typed in "real estates in small towns". Sure enough, there were about more than a million results. I decided to cut down the results by typing in "America". I clicked on the first result and scrolled through the real estates on sale. It took quite a long time since there were houses that I found were too small for me. It didn't surprise me though— I did live in a castle, for goodness' sake.

Soon, I found a red-brick colonial-era house with four floors. White windows lined up perfectly on the walls and a chimney was directly on top of the house. I guess it was a little small for my standards, but I'd probably adjust to it soon. I looked down at the location of the house and those two words caught my attention.

"Forks, Washington."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Oh hey guys! I read through all of your reviews, and I love you guys! Thank you so much for putting this on your favorites and alerts! You guys are little angels, compared to my Bella here who is a demon. :)**

**My friend RetroReaction on FF here has just posted up a new story (which I Beta'd *grins*) called You Again. It's good enough that I get her story firsthand before you guys, and it's really good! You guys should read it after this.**

**Scarlett**

* * *

"Bella, when will you come back home?" Annie, Joseph's niece, asked. She tugged on my leather jacket as we watched the movers bring in boxes of my belongings into my new American home. She stared up at me with her big blue eyes that I could never resist.

I sighed, picking her up into my arms. She adjusted herself by wrapping her short arms around my neck. "When I finish my studies here, I will go home— I promise." I pushed a strand of her curly red locks behind her ears and smiled. "Now, how about we go in for some scones and jam?" I changed the topic.

She grinned, a baby tooth missing from her pearly-whites. "Yes please!"

I brought her into the house and placed her on the high chair around the island in the kitchen. Taking out freshly-baked pastries, I placed them on a china plate and a small teapot & teacup accompanied the scones. I made tea and served them to Annie, who clapped her hands in anticipation.

"Berry tea?" She asked.

I nodded. "Your favorite."

She took the small teapot and poured herself tea into her teacup. Taking a sip with both her hands on the cup, she looked at me. She put it next to the scones and leaned against the marble island, towards me.

"Bella, I want to stay here with you." She pouted. "Can you ask Uncle Joseph if I can?"

I shook my head. "Annie, no. You need your uncle to take care of you— I can't."

"But—"

"Annie," I said slowly, lowering my height to look into her eyes. "_No_."

"At least a day more?" She asked.

"No. I will need to prepare for my first day of school next week. Now, at least you can play in my chamber back at Powderham, and you still have school. Being excused for not coming to school for one whole week is enough." I told her sternly.

Her pout faded. "I want to stay with you." Stubbornness echoed in that sentence of hers as she folded her arms.

"You are going home tomorrow, and that's final." I firmly said and she finally stared down at the scones in defeat.

"Okay, Bella."

"Now eat your scones. I didn't bake them for nothing, you know." I ran my fingers through her long silky-soft locks and a hint of a smile appeared on her face. She reached out for the scones and pulled the marmalade jam closer to her. She started spreading the jam on her scone and took small bites.

Annie was another one of my descendants. She lost her mother, Christina, in a car accident when she was four. Now, as a six-year-old, she was coping very well with the loss, but never forgot about her mother. Christina was Joseph's sister, which made Annie his niece and guardian. Christina got pregnant from a one-night-stand gone wrong and became a single parent, but she gave Annie love that two parents could provide. Even after her death, her soul still lingered in Powderham Castle, as if she never even left us physically. I had found her reading a bedtime story to Annie a few months ago, her love never ceasing for her own flesh and blood. Annie had been sleeping over my new house for a week and tomorrow, she was gonna go home on her own by plane. I was a little worried, but I hoped that she was going to stay safe. I was her sister in many ways and her closest aunt.

"Where do you want to go now?" I asked after she finished her scones. The movers had already finished unpacking and putting the items in the house.

"Is there a park somewhere here?" She said. "I want to go to the playground."

"Okay. I saw a playground while driving a few days ago— we'll go." I told her. She quickly jumped off the high chair and took my hand and followed me into my new car, a black Aston Martin DB9 Coupe. I made her sit at the back as I drove. I was still adjusting to the change as I was supposed to drive on the opposite front seat, just like when I was back in England. I started up the engine and drove all the way to the park. Annie watched the green scenery from the red leather seats as we passed by the thick heavy forest.

When we got to the playground, Annie immediately opened her door and ran to the playground in excitement. I got out of the car and locked it up. It was after all really expensive. Annie got on the swing without difficulty and started to swing herself.

I went to the benches facing the playground and sat down, watching her from afar. A group of little girls her age approached her and as I watched, they made positive contact with each other. Annie gave me a wave and a grin and I waved back at her. Her and her new fellow friends suddenly dispersed from each other, playing a game of hide and seek.

I kept my eyes on Annie in case she got in trouble and suddenly, I could sense something else in the air. Something that wasn't human. My head snapped up as I scanned the area for something unusual, but couldn't find anything— just families in the park playground, keeping an eye on their children and sometimes playing with them.

Familiar cries made my ears perk up and I jumped to my feet. I found Annie on the ground, blaring out with tear-stained flushed cheeks. A teenager who looked around my physical age was kneeling, trying to stop Annie's cries. As I came closer, I realized I had found that something that wasn't human. I ran to Annie and she hugged me tightly.

"What happened?" I whispered. She only cried harder and my eyes snapped to the teenager's. He was unnaturally beautiful like a Greek god with his unkempt bronze hair, straight nose, chiseled jawline, honey-colored eyes, soft lips and skin that was as pale as a dead body's, but all of that made me sure he was really something else.

He pressed his lips into a thin line. "She ran into me and fell. I apologize."

I looked back at Annie and carried her up into my arms. She cried into my leather jacket and I hushed her softly, running my fingers through her curls. I glared at the teenager. "Whatever you are, stay _away_ from me or my niece. You're another creature from hell, aren't you?"

His face stayed cool, but his eyes betrayed him as they flashed with caution, curiosity and shock. "I don't understand you—"

"Liar." I hissed. The already-gloomy weather darkened more and soon, thunder and lightning flashed a few miles behind me due to my mood. "You're no human."

"How do you know?" He asked.

"Look at yourself and tell me it isn't obvious." I snarled, then started to walk away from him but he grabbed me by the arm and I yanked my arm out of his grasp. "What do you want?"

"You said 'another'— what do you mean by that?" He asked in his velvety voice that was sure to make any human melt.

My eyes found his and I showed him a glimpse of my chocolate brown eye color when I was human and blinked, changing it back to the icy blue tone it was after that witch from hell cursed me to roam around Earth as a demon.

"You might want to stay away from me for the rest of your life." I warned and got into the car, strapping Annie up. She became drowsier with every second that had passed. I started the engine and sped away from the park as the teenager I saw watched us drive away.

* * *

"Uhm, hi," I stopped an air stewardess as she passed by me in the airport. She looked at me with curiosity. "You're taking this flight, right?"

I showed her Annie's plane ticket and she nodded. "Yes."

"Can you please accompany my niece? She's just six and I really worry about her when she's alone." I explained, looking down at Annie who was hugging my leg.

"Sure." The air stewardess smiled and leaned down to Annie's height. "Hi there. What's your name?"

Annie stared up at me and I nodded. She then looked back at the stewardess and mumbled, "Annie."

"What a pretty name." The stewardess complimented and Annie flushed. "I will be taking care of you throughout the flight if that's okay with you?" Annie nodded and the stewardess held out her hand for Annie to grab. She immediately did and had let go of my leg.

I waved as they entered the gate. "Bye Annie."

Annie waved back and then looked back at the stewardess who was making small conversations with her. When I couldn't see them anymore, I sighed and went back to my car to head to Forks. I was going to start school as a junior there a week later, which was when summer holidays ended. The whole town had already heard about me being the newcomer here. News spreads around in small towns fast.

I was sure a few curious humans had been wondering why I moved into such an old house with rumors circulating that there were ghosts living there. I didn't mind living in a haunted house since living in a castle with a lot more spirits didn't really do much to me over the centuries. The house had been empty for over two decades, abandoned by the former owner of the house who inherited it when his grandfather died. It wasn't like all the other houses in Forks, and I liked that about it.

I entered the driveway and opened the door to the house. It had a receiving hall with a huge portrait of me from five centuries ago hanging on the wall. There was a simple wooden drawer with a glass vase on it with white carnations. The high ceiling had a low-hanging chandelier that had to be lit with candles manually. It was a really simple setting for the hall.

I then decided to head to the backyard of the house and unzipped the back of my black sleeveless dress, a tingle running through my back as my raven-black wings peeked through the dress. Stretching the small parts of my feathered wings, I yawned even though it was the afternoon.

A gasp and shakes of the shrubs behind me made me freeze. My head snapped to the back. "Henry? Is that you?" I asked, wondering if it was my butler that came.

After a few seconds of silence, I shook my wings back into my body and zipped up my dress on the way to the shrubs to see who it was. I heard prayers being chanted and I felt burns on my right hand, making me wince. Whoever it was was going to pay for this. I darted closer to the shrubs and found a man there, his eyes wide in terror.

"What are you doing trespassing on my property?" I hissed. "And I am going to kill you for this." I pointed towards my burnt hand and grabbed the man by his neck. He started gasping for air and clawing at my hands, but I sucked up his soul fast and soon, I was holding nothing but air. His ashes were scattered on the grass.

I was nothing but a monster.

* * *

The man's name was Nick McKay.

I really didn't enjoy know what was the names of my victims and their background, but over here, it was inevitable. The news had spread that he went missing and that his family tried to find for him, but couldn't. They said that he would never leave them, so they didn't believe in the fact that he ran away.

I heard all of this when I was at the park again for no reason. Two women were in a heated talk about it and they were giving all sorts of reasons as to why he went missing. In the first place, why the hell was he even in my backyard snooping on me? This was why I never made any contact outside my family other than my butler Henry and the other staff back in Powderham Castle.

Instead, I focused on something else other than the fact that my victim was "missing" in town and occupied myself with research about the teenager I saw the other day. He wasn't a human, that was for sure. I got on my laptop and searched for everything that was supernatural. I listed down the creatures he could have been on paper and stabbed it onto the cork-board in my bedroom with a pin.

Whatever he was, he'd better stay away.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: According to my new updating schedule, I think I'm updating Bravado a day earlier. Whoops. For my full updating schedule, go over to my profile page.**

**Anyways, you guys are AWESOME. Reviews are the equivalent to Bella's full wingspan (one wing can cover the whole of Earth, so that means both her wings are large enough to cover _two_ Earths. I got the idea for the size of her wings from research about Islam's view on angels. According to their holy book, their angels have wings that can cover two Earths :D) and yep, if you read the brackets, that's how much your reviews mean to me. Huge wings. Yep.**

**Scarlett**

* * *

I was dressed in my white button-down blouse tapered khaki pants that ended at my ankles and a pair of sheer black kitten heels, with my black trench coat hanging on my shoulders and my men's watch loose on my wrist. My lips were painted a deep red and my hands were covered in my usual leather gloves. I got into my car and drove to the high school I was going to attend. Sensing my presence, students turned their heads to stare at my car, probably wondering who it was inside.

I found a corner where there were cars that stood out from the rest— a red convertible, a Jeep and a Volvo. Seemed like there were other people in this town that had money. I found a parking spot at the opposite side of the parking lot and got out. Boys were gawking at my car openly, but there were more people staring at me. I ignored their stares as I entered the student body office to receive my schedule. Once I did, I got out and was starting to have difficulty finding my first class.

"Building three," I mused, walking straight down the school to find my first English class here. When I found the building, I knocked on the door twice before opening the door. I looked over at the students who stared at me for a second before smiling up at the teacher.

"This is English class, is it not?" I enquired.

The teacher cleared his throat. "Yes. You must be Lady Isabella?"

I chuckled at his given name for me. "I'm a student now, so call me Isabella."

He nodded. "I'm Mr. Mason."

He gave me the books I needed for the class and then pointed to the seat I was assigned to. I complied and so far, I didn't have any problems with the classes. English, Government, Trigonometry & Spanish passed like a breeze until lunchtime. I didn't need food, and being in a canteen full of humans with mouth-watering souls was making me fidget. I hadn't had anything since morning when Henry got me a homeless person from Seattle.

Standing at the entrance of the canteen, I looked at the vast area of tables and took a deep breath, wondering where I was going to sit at. Every table was taken.

"Hey, you're the one from Britain with a title right?" I heard a voice ask. My eyes found the voice's owner and a girl with brown hair and glasses was smiling at me.

"Uhm, yes. I'm Countess of Devon, actually." I gave her a tight-lipped smile.

"Are you looking for a seat? Come on, you can sit with me." She said. I followed her from behind and she led me to a table already occupied by two girls. I took the empty seat beside her. She faced me. "I'm Angela Weber."

"Isabella Swan." I introduced myself.

"It's nice to have a new face here. It's been a while." She admitted.

"Who's this?" I heard a guy ask.

Angela looked at the person who was behind me. "This is Isabella, the new girl."

I turned behind and a blond guy stood there, a wide smile plastered on his face. "Nice to meet you. You come from somewhere in Europe, right?"

I immediately didn't really like him. He reminded me of a puppy. I grimaced, but masked it with a slight upturn of my lips. "Yes."

He leaned forward and I could smell whatever strong cologne he had. I gagged at the scent. "I'm Mike Newton."

I gave a fake laugh. "Of course you are." I then looked back at Angela, a silent plead in my eyes.

She nodded. "Go take your lunch, Mike." Her eyes shine with humor as she looked back at me. "The first time I've seen someone not like him like that." I winced at that. "Aren't you going to have lunch too?"

I shook my head. "I... I don't uhm, I usually have a preference for my meals."

The two girls who occupied the table too looked up at me. The blonde one snickered. "The new girl's bulimic, huh?"

"Lauren, I don't think so." The brunette beside her pursed her lips.

"Oh come on, if she doesn't eat during lunch, there's something wrong."

I sighed, turning to face her. "If you are referring to me not eating, then that is not bulimia nervosa but _anorexia_ nervosa. _Bulimia_ nervosa is eating excessively and purging. _Anorexia_ nervosa is limiting the food intake by too little. I have neither of these eating disorders, thank you very much."

Lauren scoffed. "And Little Miss English acts smart."

"Maybe you should get your facts right first before you judge someone." I stated.

She narrowed her eyes. "You worthless little—" The brunette beside her interrupted her sentence, tugging into Lauren's sleeve. "_What_?" She hissed.

The brunette just stared at those who just came through the door. There was a big burly guy who came in with a blonde whose beauty couldn't be described at first, then a petite girl with a pixie cut entered together with a blond guy whose face was sour as hell, but I could see why Lauren and her little friend were mesmerized by them— they were all beautiful with pale skin and golden eyes. They weren't human.

Then a familiar teenager followed behind the pixie and blond guy, his bronze hair still untamed like the last time I saw him. His eyes wandered until they caught mine.

Lauren saw where he was looking straight at and rolled her eyes. "What? So he's interested in the new girl now? Is it because she has a title? Well, I can have a title that is bigger than hers! I can be a baroness!"

My eyes tore from the teenager's gaze and I smirked. "Now you're just showing your stupidity. A baroness is below my title as a countess."

Lauren had suddenly let out a scream of annoyance, standing up and stomping off from the canteen. Angela started laughing out loud at Lauren's exit and grinned widely at me. "You're a keeper, Countess of Devon."

* * *

Biology was next. Angela and Mike shared the same class as me, and I was glad to at least have someone to show me where biology classes were held at. Angela had been really friendly, while Mike was a little too... overbearing.

"So how is it like in England?" Mike asked while all three of us were on the way to class.

"It's rather rainy over there. I've been there for over centuries— I mean, for what felt like centuries. But everything's beautiful. I love it there." I replied.

"Hey, maybe you could tell me more about it Friday night? We can go to the diner—"

I shook my head, immediately rejecting. "Sorry. I'm not interested."

His face fell. "Well, another time then."

I grimaced and turned to Angela, desperate to not talk to him any longer. "So what topic are you all on in Biology?"

"Uhm, cells." She simply said. "Come on."

We entered the classroom and Mike pointed towards me when he saw the teacher. "Mr. Banner, this is the new girl."

I resisted glaring at him and huffed silently. Mr. Banner looked up and smiled. "Well, Lady Isabella—"

"Just Isabella." I told him.

He pursed his lips and took out a couple of books from his drawer in the table. "Here are the books you will need for Biology for the rest of this semester, Isabella." He gave another friendly smile and scanned the room full of students. "There is only one seat empty. You will sit beside... Edward Cullen."

I stared at where he pointed at and my eyes wandered to my new partner. Oh no.

I opened my mouth to object, but in the end I just gave him a tight-lipped smile. "Mr. Banner, I find that taking notes while listening to my teachers absolutely distracting, so I always propose arrangements to my teachers." I lied. "I will take notes, but I just won't listen to your voice, no offense. In order to do exactly just that, I will instead hear my music. I really hope you will agree to this. I don't want my grades to be affected."

He looked taken aback, but raised his eyebrows for a second and reluctantly nodded. "Sure, but if I see a drop in your marks, this arrangement will be off, do you understand?"

"Yes, Mr. Banner. Thank you for understanding." I said. I then went to my newly-assigned seat and searched for my iPod in my trusty vintage Chanel bag I bring everywhere. When I found it, I plugged in and started playing 400 Lux by Lorde. My black-and-white notebook was on my table with my signature black ink fountain pen.

When Mr. Banner wrote his first words on the chalkboard, I wrote it down. I could feel Edward Cullen's eyes on me as I sang out the lyrics of the song quietly.

"You're here." He just said.

I ignored him.

"What are you doing here in this school?"

I fought back a snort. What was _he_ doing here in this school?

"Look, I know what you are. News spreads fast when the Countess of Devon all the way from England moves to a small American town." He told me. "I decided to look you up on the Internet and I know why you called me another creature from hell— you're one."

My mouth immediately closed shut from singing, but continued taking notes. He knew that he got my attention.

"Your mother made a deal with Satan." He started. "She would have a child, but she would have to send you back to hell because that was where you belonged. When you finally reached maturity, a witch was sent from hell to retrieve you. The next morning, your mother's body was found in one of the hallways of the castle, but you were unharmed. You eventually revealed what happened that night to your father and he was terrified. He locked you up in your chamber until his death and your half-brother took over his title and had let you out, treating you like family—"

"That is enough." I hissed out loud. "Do not push me, Edward Cullen, or I _will_ rip your dead heart out and feed it to the restless souls of hell."

"Isabella—"

"I am not the only creature here capable of killing these humans and you are acting as if you are not one of them." I glared at him, standing up. Mr. Banner stopped his lesson as everyone in the classroom stared at me.

"Isabella, is there something wrong?" He asked.

"Mr. Cullen has pushed me over the edge." I clenched my jaw. "I apologize for the interruption." I muttered, swinging my bag into my arm as I walked briskly out the room.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: All of you have kind of called Edward all kinds of vulgarities but I don't blame you. Edward was an asshole during Biology.**

**A crazy Neanderthal ritual is currently being set up to give thanks to my Beyoncè-lovin' Beta, RetroReaction.**

**Reviews are love, so you know what to do. :)**

**Scarlett**

* * *

"Bella!" Annie exclaimed in my ear when I picked up my phone. School just ended and I was so glad to have avoided Edward Cullen and his other kind in the buildings of the school.

"Annie, honey, why are you calling me?" I asked.

"Am I interrupting something?" She said timidly.

I shook my head even though she couldn't see. "Not at all. School just ended for me."

I could hear her smile through the phone. "Then we should make a habit out of this! It is just seven in the evening over here."

"Two in the afternoon," I muttered after I checked my watch.

"I miss you," she admitted. I could picture her twirling the phone cord around her little fingers.

"I miss you too, Annie. How was school today?" I asked.

"Kenny accidentally pushed me during recess and I fell. Now I have a booboo on my knee." She said.

"Did Uncle Joseph kiss your booboo all better?" I chuckled.

"Yes, but I always prefer it when you do it." She whispered dramatically, obviously looking out for her uncle.

"Do you want me to do it now? Through the phone?" I smiled.

"Please!" She exclaimed.

I held the phone away from my ear and made smooching sounds at the speaker. I could hear her giggles. "Do you feel okay now?" I asked.

"Yes. Thank you, Bella." She said.

"You're always welcome, Ann." I placed my handbag on the hood of my car and rummaged through it for my keys. When I found them, I scanned the parking lot randomly.

My eyes locked with Edward Cullen's. He froze and I clenched my jaw.

"Bella?" Annie's voice brought me back to reality. "Are you okay?"

"Uhm, yes. Sorry, darling. Were you asking about something?" I gathered my thoughts and stared down at my feet.

"How's Emile?" Eagerness underlined her tone.

"Emile is doing great. He misses Powderham, and I'm sure he misses you too," I told her. "How about send a greeting to him for you? I'm sure he will appreciate it."

"Okay," She said. "I have to go now. I love you."

"I love you too honey," I replied. "Have a good night."

"You too," She said before she hung up.

"Was that the girl that was with you in the park last week?"

"It's none of your business, Mr. Cullen." Hostility had frozen over my tone as I opened my car door. I bent down to put my bag at the front passenger's seat as I didn't bother to look at him.

"Call me Edward."

"I prefer my loneliness over company with another creature from hell, _Mr. Cullen_." I sneered.

It took him a few seconds to finally say something.

"I apologize for making you uncomfortable by bringing up your past." He sighed. "It probably wasn't the best way to get you to talk."

_Damn right it wasn't_, I snapped inwardly.

"What can I do to make it up to you?" He asked.

Thoughts and ideas ran through my head at a million miles an hour. Thinking about the note I had on the corkboard in my bedroom, I took a deep breath and turned on my heel to face him. When I did, I didn't even realize how close he was to me— three more centimetres and our foreheads would have already been touching.

"Do you know where I live?"

He shook his head and I unzipped his bag without a warning, taking out a spiral notebook and a pencil. I wrote down my address on a page and tore it out, giving it to him.

"Meet me at four in the afternoon sharp." I said. "Run along, Mr. Cullen. I now have a guest to entertain in two hours' time and I need to make sure my home is inviting enough." I smirked at him for the first time and got into my car. I slid on my oversized sunglasses over my eyes as I continued to watch him stare at me and revved up the engine, immediately driving away from the school.

* * *

As soon as I parked my car outside the garage, Henry waited for me. I killed the engine and he opened the door for me.

"Good afternoon, My Lady." He greeted with a bow.

"Good afternoon, Henry. We have a guest coming in at four. Make sure the house is suitable enough for receiving guests." I told him. "Where is Emile?"

"Emile is waiting for you in the backyard, My Lady," he informed me and I dismissed him for the moment.

The backyard was the first place I went to once I entered the house and as said, my giant black demon of a dog had his tongue out playfully but he was bowing towards me. I grinned and hugged him. "I've missed you. Have you eaten?"

He nodded and glanced into the forest behind the house, indicating that he had his meal there.

"Good. What do you want to play now? Fetch? Or do you want to go for a walk?" I asked, scratching the back of his ear. "How about we just settle for a walk?"

He nudged me to go on his back and I complied, climbing onto his shaggy black fur. He then started running into the forest at a speed so impossible that even modern technology couldn't beat. My wavy hair which was neatly combed was now getting messy. We stayed at the border of Canada for a while until I checked the time. Not wanting to be the late one, Emile & I went back to the house half an hour earlier before Edward was supposed to arrive.

I gave Emile some raw meat as a treat and he kept himself occupied enough for me to go upstairs and comb my hair back to perfection. I popped some bobby pins adorned with pearls into my chestnut brown hair and changed into a silk white sleeveless collared dress that ended two inches above my knees. I heard the door knock two times.

"Come in." I said out loud.

"Your guest is here, My Lady." Henry told me.

"Thank you for telling me. You may leave now." I got up from my stool in front of my vanity table and went down to the receiving hall where Edward was studying my potrait. He was probably too engrossed in staring at it that he didn't realize the real thing was standing right there. Sarcasm intended.

I cleared my throat. "Mr. Cullen."

He blinked repeatedly before looking at me with a dazzling smile on his face. "Isabella— or should I call you Bella?"

My face went hard. "Only my niece gets to call me that."

"I'm sorry." He pressed his lips together.

"I'll show you around the place and introduce you to some people here. You have met my butler, correct?"

He nodded. "Henry, right?"

"Well, there is... something else I'd like you to meet. We can save that for later. Don't worry, it won't kill you—" I kind of teased him while assuring him by placing my hand on top of his, but all I felt from him was like harmless invisible sparks flying off his pale white skin. I stopped my sentence and pulled back, masking my shock. He frowned, probably feeling it too. I turned to the front and started walking.

I showed him around the house and when we were finally in the backyard, Emile was still chewing on the raw meat I gave him. He looked up and ran towards me in delight. Once he saw Edward, he paused and his mouth turned downwards, baring his teeth and growling.

"Emile," I warned. He immediately bowed down and whimpered. I sighed and walked up to my huge Black Shuck, peppering kisses all over his cheek to make him feel better. "Be nice to our guest." I whispered. Looking at Edward whose face reflected various emotions that I couldn't comprehend, I introduced the seven-feet-tall dog who needed comforting to him. "Mr. Cullen, this is my Black Shuck, Emile."

His eyes widened. "Black Shuck?"

I rolled my eyes. "I'm sure you know what they are. Demonic dogs that terrorized villages in the seventeenth century, killing countless humans and destroying homes—"

"Yeah, I know that. I just never thought they existed," he explained. "May I?"

I nodded. "He doesn't bite."

Edward took a couple of hesitant steps towards Emile who was still bowing down in respect to me and his hand reached out, feeling Emile's fur. A crooked smile broke out from his face.

"It isn't so bad isn't it?" I remarked.

Emile started to grow more warm towards our guest just by that one touch. As they interacted more with each other, Emile grew attached to him and deep down, I felt a strange fuzzy feeling in my heart that I had never experienced throughout my existence. Bizarre.

"I'm so sorry to interrupt but I think we should get to the main point as to why you are here." I told Edward.

Edward looked up at me from Emile and smiled. "Of course." He stood up from the grass and petted Emile's big head. "I have to go, big buddy." Emile nudged his head at Edward, giving him the greenlight to go.

"So why am I here?" He asked.

"You have been searching for what I am and you have gotten what you wanted, so I want to know what you are. I figured meeting at my house would be private enough."

"You have been trying to find out about what I am?" He raised his eyebrows.

"Yes I have, but now I can't seem to pinpoint on what you are." I pursed my lips.

"I'm not supposed to expose my kind by telling humans what I am."

I laughed. "If you haven't realized, I haven't been human for centuries so that doesn't count for me."

He still hesitated about telling me, but managed to get it out of his system.

"I am a vampire."


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: I had an asthma attack two days ago and I'm still updating. :) Sigh. Man, feeling breathless sucks.**

**Giving thanks to mah FF Beta bae, RetroReaction.**

**Read and review, midarlings.**

**Scarlett**

* * *

"So, at least one of my guesses was right." I smiled. I entered my bedroom and he followed me from behind as I headed to my cork board. Taking down the note, I crumpled it up and threw it into the bin beside my bed.

He took a deep breath, but paused. "Why do you still call me Mr. Cullen when I've given you permission on calling me by my name?"

"We are acquaintances, and back in my time, I've always called my acquaintances with their titles. Considering that you do not have a title, I will just call you Mr. Cullen." I explained. "Otherwise, calling you Edward would mean we are close enough. You're a vampire, so do you have any abilities from the rest of your kind?"

"Uh, yeah." He replied. "I have telepathy."

I froze. "Can you read my mind?"

A look of frustration was on his face. "No, and you're the first person whose mind I can't read. It's probably because you are a demon, I'm not sure, but I'm still able to read other creature's minds, like shapeshifters."

"So you can't read my mind?" I asked slowly.

He nodded.

I heaved a sigh of relief. I looked out of the window. "It's nighttime. It's safe for me to finally go out without difficulty."

"You're a demon, so... do you have any powers? Abilities?" Edward asked in turn.

"I have... claws." I started, removing my silk gloves that covered my arms all the way to my elbows, leaving my creamy-pale arms exposed. My perfectly-manicured nails protracted into sharpened, long, thin but strong claws. "Freaky, but it helps with certain things. I have sharp hearing and wings too, so nothing special."

His eyebrows rose as his eyes widened a bit. "You have wings?"

"My wings are bigger than this room. Much bigger, so I can't show you my whole pair of wings in here." I told him. "Since it's nighttime, I guess I can show you everything."

* * *

Standing in the middle of the backyard, a violent shudder went down my neck. Emile stood right behind Edward, knowing what was coming if I showed all of my wings. I gathered my hair to my left and unzipped my dress. Another shudder went through my back and I could feel the muscles of my wings stretch out. Due to the size of them, my wings went upward first and then spread, one feathered wing covering the world while the other just stuck out into the atmosphere of space, the gas from stars heating it up a little.

I felt a hand stroking the feathers of my raven wings. "Isabella... you are amazing." Edward said in admiration. "Your wings... how big are they?"

"One is currently covering Earth, but I'm trying not to let it touch the places that the sun is shining at. The other is just pretty much hugging air in space." I replied. "These odd white feathers stuck randomly along them are camouflage. It shows the constellations, so that when a mortal looks up at the sky, all they see is a kaleidoscope of stars when my wings are spread out. I guess the devil was kind enough to give me this."

"You're beautiful." He commented.

I hitched my breath. "What?"

"I'm very sure you heard what I said. Isabella, you are beautiful."

"Well, thank you for the compliment then." I whispered. Shaking my wings, I retracted them and they disappeared into my back.

"Do you have any weaknesses?" Edward asked.

"My weakness... prayers. When they're said near or against me, I instantly get burns." I told him. The memory of last week was still fresh in my mind. "Anything related to god, I guess. That's what makes me a demon. You drink blood, right?"

He chuckled. "Animal's blood, but blood is what makes me a vampire. What about you?"

I raised my eyebrows. "I thought you already know since you managed to find out about my past."

"I don't know what your diet consists of. The Internet doesn't give you everything."

I rolled my eyes. "I don't think you'd want to hear. You seem to be one of those people who think conserving the life of humans are important."

"Isabella, it's okay. You can just tell me even if it's ever unpleasant to the ears."

I snorted, which was rather unladylike and unusual for me. "My descendants don't enjoy listening about what I eat for breakfast, lunch & dinner and my meal preferences. I really don't think it would even be nice to tell you about it. There's no alternative to the diet I'm having like you all choosing animal's blood over a human's, and I'm accepting that."

He sighed. "If you could just tell me—"

"Edward, I do worse things than your kind. I don't feed on blood, but I feed on human souls until their bodies turn into dust— and I can't stop because it feels so good. It's not something I can just dismiss." I snapped. Once I gathered my thoughts, I took a deep breath and sighed out loud. "I am incredibly sorry."

"No, that is okay." He smiled a soft smile at him. "And for once, you called me by my first name."

I looked away. "Yes. I did."

"Why?"

"What do you _mean_ 'why'?" I chuckled nervously. "You touched my wings, and I have not let them stretch out fully for the past couple of centuries. Those fifteen minutes I got to stretch was all I needed."

"How do you... cope with humans around you, like your niece and your butler?"

"I remember what are the things they gave me and my relationship with them. When I have my meals, I don't like knowing any personal information about my victims. It will make me feel guilty as hell." I admitted. "Well, of course, unless you irritate me so much I could just kill you with one intake of your soul."

* * *

"Good morning, beautiful."

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. "Mr. Cullen." I nodded towards him in acknowledgment.

"Are you back to last names and titles, Isabella?" He laughed.

"Well, if you have not realized, the whole school is staring including your coven." I said through my teeth.

His coven was giving mixed reactions as they observed us from across the lot. The beautiful blonde girl was shooting glares at both Edward & I, while the brunette pixie and the blonde guy gave Edward a worrying look. The big guy was watching our interaction with amusement.

We were in the parking lot before the first warning bell could go off. I walked up the stairs to the entrance of the first building hurriedly and Edward followed right behind me, never failing to fall a step back.

When I arrived at the door of my first lesson, I finally looked at him. "Can you please stop escorting me to my class? You have other classes now, do you not?" I sighed.

"The building for my class is just two blocks away. I can get there in time." He replied instantly.

"You better." I taunted.

He laughed. "Don't listen to music during English like you did in Biology; it's an important subject."

"I'm English already, so I don't think I need to continue learning about my native language because there isn't much to learn for me now, you loggerheaded, fool-born nut-hook." I narrowed my eyes into slits playfully.

"Is that your version of vulgarities?" He laughed harder, earning stares from students passing by and entering the classroom.

"Quiet, you peasant." I hissed.

He wrapped his cold granite arms around me as he breathed into my ear. "I apologize, My Lady. Am I forgiven?" He whispered.

I cleared my throat. "Fine."

He kissed my cheek, freezing me in place. The feeling of shock passed through my body like electric currents. "I will see you after class, Isabella."

He left without saying another word, but kept throwing glances at my way. I shook my head out of my daze and entered my class.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: I should be studying for my math paper tomorrow but I'm not. Screw the paperwork. :)**

**Ten mental images of Robert Pattinson is currently being sent to my Beta, RetroReaction.**

**Read and reviewwwww, milovelies.**

* * *

"Lady Devon?"

"Yes, Mr. Jefferson?" I responded.

"Can you tell me the two main political parties of the US?"

I squeezed my eyes tight in concentration for a second and then looked at him again. "The Democratics and Republicans?"

He smiled. "Correct."

I nodded in acknowledgment and went back to the thick gold notebook I was writing my recollections from the day before. I guess it was a diary, and it was halfway finishing. I listened carefully to the government lesson about political parties as I was putting what I remembered about yesterday on paper. This was my first time in America, and I didn't really keep up with international news. This was a totally new thing for me.

When class ended, I guess that I wasn't surprised to see Edward standing by the door of the classroom waiting for me. Everyone in the class stared at him and whispers broke out. I chuckled once under my breath and stood up.

"Mr. Cullen, what are you here for?" Mr. Jefferson asked when he saw Edward.

"I'm just here for Lady Devon, sir. She's a friend." Edward replied in his smooth velvet voice.

"Of course." My government teacher smiled.

When I walked closer to Edward, Mr. Jefferson called his name out again.

"Yes, Mr. Jefferson?" Edward replied.

"Lady Devon is very new to the country, so maybe you should tutor her on government topics." He said.

I frowned. _What?_

Edward threw a momentary crooked smile at me. "If she doesn't mind then I will."

"Edward—"

"Mr. Cullen is offering, so I think it is in your best interest if you accept it." Mr. Jefferson said.

I stared at Edward for five seconds straight. "I accept his offer." I finally said.

Edward smirked. I stared at him with a passive look on my face for a little while longer before walking past him. He caught up to me inconspicuously in the crowd of students.

"Isabella, my house or yours?"

"What is that supposed to mean, Mr. Cullen?" I asked nonchalantly as I looked around the hallways.

"Government tuition." He said.

"Saying that I do does not mean I actually agree with it."

"Please, Isabella." He suddenly grabbed my hand, making me hiss in shock. He stopped walking and I was left staring at him. "I want to know more about you." He whispered, his passionate butterscotch eyes staring into my cold ice blue eyes.

"What else is there to know about me, Mr. Cullen?" I asked.

"A lot." He pulled my hand, making me come closer to him. "I'd prefer to be more of a friend than an acquaintance."

"Then you don't need to be worried," I started, clearing my throat. "You are... somewhere in the middle of being a friend and an acquaintance."

He raised his eyebrow questioningly.

"I don't want to explain further." I adjusted the strap of my Chanel bag on my shoulder and took a deep breath. "I do not need tutoring for government class either, so you can bugger off about it."

A hint of a smile peeked through his serious expression. "Your British accent and vocabulary is disarmingly charming."

"Is that an insult, Mr. Cullen?"

He ran his hand through his messy hair. "This isn't a Jane Austen novel, so you can quit calling me Mr. Cullen."

My lips pursed in humor. "You read Jane Austen's books?"

"It's been a while since I picked one of her books up, but this isn't what we're supposed to be talking about," he said.

I glanced around the hallways, in search for any of Edward's coven mates. They weren't around. "My house. Four o'clock sharp again." I said in a low voice.

"How about mine, after school?"

I huffed. "Mr. Cullen, you just asked me to pick which place we shall meet at and you suddenly wish for us to meet at your house?"

"I've been to your house, so it'll be fair if you go to mine."

"That does not mean that the other problems have been solved," I hissed. "Your coven lives with you."

"I don't think it'll be a pleasant surprise," he started, "but I think it'll be interesting enough."

"This is not a reality telly show!" I snapped.

"I'll be outside your class after school to pick you up. After your visit to my house, I'll drive you back here to pick your car up."

When I didn't respond, he smiled in satisfaction and victory as he let go of my hand. Even though I was wearing my ivory silk gloves, I felt like I could still feel his skin against mine. I continued walking to my next class, ignoring his presence. He just followed me, humored by my reaction towards him.

* * *

"Isabella!" Mike greeted me with a presumptuous tap on my shoulder. "I haven't been able to talk to you today."

_And I wish that would have lasted forever_, I responded mentally.

"So, you and Edward Cullen?" He brought up suddenly. "I don't... I don't like it."

I turned my head sharply at him. "What is not there to like?" I challenged, immediately defensive of mine & Edward's friendship.

He was taken aback by my reaction for a second. "I guess I... Out of everyone that is here in school, Edward Cullen picks you and I... I think I like you."

I scrutinized him, trying to find something that told me he wasn't serious.

He _was_ serious.

"Mr. Newton, I think that I have already rejected your offer on companionship—"

"Isabella—"

"Is there a problem here?" I heard Edward ask out of the blue. I didn't even realize he was near. I looked up to see Edward beside me, glaring down at Mike.

"Oh, Edward." I smiled up at him. "You are finally here. I was wondering when you would appear."

His glare at Mike melted away when he looked at me and smiled back. "I'm sorry I'm late then."

"Mr. Newton here was just telling me how he feels about us being friends," I told him.

Edward's glare was back when he stared at Mike. Edward's jaw hardened, making it more defined than ever possible. "And how does he feel about us?"

"He seems to not like it." I replied.

"Then his opinion is invalid, because it is a friendship between two people and nobody else, isn't it?" Edward said, his arm wrapped around my shoulder possessively.

"Yes, it is," I spoke. "Come now, Edward. You have kept me waiting long enough." I tried my best to smile pleasantly at Mike, who looked like he urinated his pants. "We shall take our leave now. Goodbye, Mr. Newton."

Edward pulled me closer to him as he gave one last menacing look at Mike before we turned away from him.

"So now I'm Edward, huh?" Edward smirked at me.

"That was just an act of—"

"Staking your claim?"

I hardened my jaw as I stared at him, making it into a glare. "That was not what I was about to say. If you think that my calling you by your first name is staking claim, then what about your arm around me?"

He looked at his arm around me and shrugged. "It's an act of pushing boundaries."


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: It's time for another chappie!**

**Laurels are decorated around her backyard as a gift to my lovely Beta RetroReaction.**

**Scarlett**

* * *

"What is _she_ doing here?" The beautiful blond vampire hissed at Edward.

"She's following us back," he replied nonchalantly, "whether you like it or not."

She glared at me and the big muscular vampire beside her grabbed her by the arm and tugged her away to the red convertible waiting at the corner of the parking lot. The vampire whose hold was on her glanced at me worriedly, and I had the feeling that he wasn't worried for me— it was because he was worried about what I could do to his coven.

Edward ignored his covenmates and looked at me, giving me an apologetic smile.

I had on a passive expression. "Well, you have what you wanted— an interesting enough surprise, even before we've even reached your house."

He chuckled, wrapping his arm around me to bring me close. "I'm sorry."

"You are not."

He kissed my forehead. "Whatever you say, My Lady."

"Are you a planet?"

"Why would you say that?"

"You are not giving me enough space."

He laughed out loud at my pun as he opened the car door for me. I entered and wore on the seatbelt which was rather unnecessary for the both of us. He slid into his seat and started up the engine, driving off swiftly out of the lot with the red convertible filled with his covenmates inside.

"Are you not going to warn me about what will happen once I am in your house?" I gave him a pointed look.

"Well, I should probably prepare you and tell you about my family members," he sighed, running a hand through his hair. "The short one who looks like a pixie is Alice. The blond-haired Southern talking one is Jasper. Emmett is the muscular one and Rosalie is the one who was ready to claw both our pairs of eyes out." He chuckled darkly. "I have two other family members, and they acts as our parents because they really do behave like one— Carlisle & Esme are very welcoming, but when I talked to my whole family about you, they all were wary of you."

"Wait, you talked to your coven about me?" I glared at him icily.

He shrugged. "Nothing's ever a secret in my family— except for mine."

I almost forgot about his telepathic tendencies and went silent for a while. "How do you live with all of them?"

"It isn't without difficulty when you live with such colorful personalities. I can at least stand Jasper, Carlisle & Esme, but the frustrating ones are Alice, Rosalie & Emmett. Alice has clairvoyance, so she can basically see the possibilities in everyone's futures. It gets frustrating for any one of us since we can't do anything without Alice knowing, unless it's last minute. She's also very... hyper that you can never really stand her. It's really lucky that Jasper is an empath, or else he wouldn't be able to control her emotions. She was under so much stress when she tried to search for your future, but all she came up with was nothing so be prepared for the negativity towards you other than Rosalie.

"Now, Rosalie is... naturally hostile to outsiders outside our family, but I do get the silent treatment from her at different times per day. As for Emmett, he's quite the opposite. He's the joker of our family and has too much of an ego when it comes to his strength. I'm sure you've seen the way he looks at us when we're together though, as if he's taking precautions. Just be careful around my family until they warm up to you."

"Yes, sure." I grumbled.

"It's alright. They'll get used to your presence that they will just tolerate you." He pulled in to a mansion in the middle of a forest that was painted white and had a Victorian Era feeling to it. "Get ready, Isabella."

He killed the engine and got out of the car, darting to my side and opening the door for me. I took his hand that was reached out to me and got out of the car. I looked to my left to find the rest of his covenmates coming out of the red convertible.

"Your house is frankly smaller than mine back in England, Mr. Cullen." I remarked.

"You live in a castle while I didn't." He smiled. "That isn't fair."

I smirked. "Never said I played fair."

"Well that's okay, _Bella_," he smirked back. "I don't play fair as well."

I glared at him and I realized that was exactly what he wanted— to push my buttons. I stopped my hardening, sharp stare at him and looked forward.

"I hope the human survives," Rosalie, the blonde, grumbled as her and the rest passed by me.

I looked up at Edward. "What human?"

He grimaced. "I didn't tell them what you are."

"So they think I'm _mortal_? What were they all worried about then?"

"They know that we all seem to can't use our gifts on you and they think that you're not normal."

"That is a dumb excuse, Mr. Cullen." I scoffed. "You all are not normal too."

"But you're more interesting than all of us put together," he replied. "Come on."

We went in to the house after the rest of his covenmates and Emmett shouted; "Esme, Carlisle, we're home!"

No one replied and I stood behind Edward, not sure of what to expect. I looked around the place and immediately hissed, stepping back when I saw a large wooden cross at the corner of the room. Edward rubbed circles on the small of my back smoothingly to release the tension I had from seeing the holy cross. All of the vampires stared at us.

"It's just something Carlisle had when he was human— the only reminder of his past." He explained low enough for only me to hear.

"I can't... I can't get near that—"

"Esme, look who Edward brought back." Rosalie folded her arms, bursting the bubble Edward & I were in.

A woman with caramel-colored hair walked down the stairs and she smiled, giving off an aura that told me she cared about every single one of Edward and his "siblings" like her own children. She raised her eyebrows at me. "Oh?" She then looked at Edward. "Is this the Countess of Devon?"

"Isabella," Edward corrected. "She prefers Isabella."

"Well hello, Isabella." She greeted, grabbing me into a gentle hug that shocked me. "So nice to finally meet you."

This wasn't what I expected— I didn't expect the friendliness from Esme since I had already experienced the hostility Rosalie, Emmett, Alice & Jasper had given me.

She released me. "Did I shock you?"

"I... yes." I blinked twice. "It is just that... no one but my family members do that to me."

"You don't have friends?"

"I... have not had them since I was a child."

"Okay, that's enough of questions." Edward cut in. "This is all private."

Rosalie scoffed. "_Nothing_ is private if a human comes into our house—"

"She's not human." Edward said.

It was so quiet that I could hear a pin drop. I scanned the room and saw a man whose hair was blond— it was the father figure in the coven, Carlisle. I didn't even realize he was in the room with all of us.

"What do you mean she's not human?" Alice spoke up for the first time in my presence.

"This is not what I wanted," I said out loud, getting ready to leave. "I will go if you want me to and I apologize for—"

"Bella, stay." Edward told me and I sighed, stopping in my tracks. He turned me around and grabbed my hand. I could feel the electricity bursting through my veins even when our skins were separated by my gloves. I looked up at him from our hands touching.

"I cannot. Your coven does not like me and I do not think that staying any longer will make them change their minds." I whispered harshly, but made sure that the other vampires couldn't hear what I said to him.

"I don't care about whether they like you or not— if they don't like who I'm bringing back, they can scold me for all I care, but they can't hurt you because I won't allow them to." He told me in the same tone.

I looked away from his intense gaze, but kept away from the curious stares. I sighed again. "They are your... family. I will not allow you to pick between me and them—"

"We'll continue about this in my room." He interrupted me, glaring at everyone in the room. "We're going to have to continue this conversation privately."

He whisked me up the stairs, away from prying eyes. I gave one last glance to the coven and didn't see them anymore. After three flights of stairs, we walked down a hall to a bedroom that I didn't think would count as a bedroom. Journals were left opened on and around a white ottoman but those were the only things left untidy. CDs and vinyl records were arranged nicely on shelves together with books. His room was simple.

"Look, Isabella, I don't care if I have to pick between my family and you." He told me, his hands holding the sides of my faces gently. "You're my friend— a friend that somehow, I'm getting closer and closer to each day. I've never made much contact with humans outside my family so the interactions I have with others are limited. You may not be human, but I enjoy the time we have. If my family thinks the opposite, then they don't know the connection we feel."

"You love me," it came out as a breathless whisper as I looked into his butterscotch eyes.

His eyes widened in wonder and fulfillment. "I do." He said, as if he just realized it all along. "Even though I've only known you for a few days, I can't shake the feelings I have for you off my back."

My heart thumped faster, fueling my adrenaline as his eyes searched deep into mine. Everything was nearly forgotten, including my curse. My half-open eyelids closed further as our faces neared each other to take our first kiss, but I pulled away out of anxiety and sat on the ottoman.

"I cannot do this. This is not what I know about. I do not know how to... do this!" I cried. "This is out of my hands!"

"Isabella, please. Come now, we can try." He kneeled down to me on both his knees as if begging for mercy and laced my fingers with his.

I hesitated at first, then gave in. "But you must promise me, you cannot choose between your family and me. It hurts too much that I will have to make you choose between us." I whispered.

"Does this mean that we're together?"

"Yes."


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: YAY. Our two lovebirds are together, but that doesn't mean everything's right. :(**

**There will be a flashback to Bella's past right after this. :)**

**I owe my Beta RetroReaction a selfie of me with Kristen Stewart. Seriously.**

**Scarlett**

* * *

**21 February 1457**

**Half past midnight, Powderham Castle, England**

_I screamed, tears flowing out of my eyes as I stared at my hands. My nails were growing at an impossible speed. The skin at my back was tearing down two lines and I could feel blood painfully seeping out of the wounds. The old witch in front of me disappeared right in front of my eyes and I tried to stand up, but couldn't. I ended up crawling on the floor to my chamber, the pain at my back making me shriek horrendously._

_I heard the voices of the guards echo through the halls and I quickly locked the doors of my chamber behind me. I pushed myself up into my bed as I cried out, but muffled my cries with my hand. As I laid in my bed in my bloodstained white nightdress, I prayed that this was just a nightmare. Painful stings on my arms made me whimper the moment I prayed, and pulled up my sleeves. It was a large burn. I was too tired to react anymore, so I fell asleep again._

* * *

_The sun burned through my eyelids and I took steady breaths as I opened my eyes. I stretched, and I didn't feel any pain like what I expected. I lifted my sleeve up and found that the burn I had last night disappeared, but something felt off._

_I got out of my bed and stared at myself in the mirror._

_My dress was still stained with blood, dried and darkened to crisps. My eyes, a normal chocolate brown changed to an icy blue tone. As I looked down my body in the mirror, I realized that there was blood around my upper legs, but it wasn't the dried patches._

_These were fresh blood._

_I stared into my own eyes that had a cold color in fright. I moved closer to the mirror to take another good look at myself. There was a strange trail of small dark bruises from my collarbone. I reached up to feel them and they were tender, as if it was from hours ago. I pulled down the collar of my dress to see where the trail ended. It ended right on top of my breasts. My mind was thinking so fast, trying to put everything to pieces. I didn't remember how I got those fresh patches of blood and these bruises on my neck and chest._

_I scrambled to my bed and found that there was patches of fresh blood too. I had difficulty in walking, like I was sore between my legs. A rolled-up note on the bed was found and I snatched it up, hoping that it would give me another clue._

An angel of a girl falls to her demon and I grow ever so powerful in the depths of our sin. The more I take, the more I gain.

_I froze. I didn't need the person who wrote this note to sign off his name. It was no wonder that I was cover in fresh blood and I had bruises down my neck, which I suspected were love bites. The fresh blood was from me. The sore between my legs intensified as I realized what had happened when I was sleeping and recovering from a nightmare of a night last night. This had just made it worse._

_The devil himself raped me._

* * *

**8 September 2014**

**A quarter to 4 in the afternoon, Cullens Residence, Forks, WA**

"Isabella, please, at least let me explain to them—"

"That what?" I hissed quietly. "That I am a demon? A creature from hell?"

Edward sighed. "Isabella, please."

I clenched my jaw, huffing. "Fine."

Edward gave me a thankful smile and faced everyone in the family room. His coven observed the both of us intently and luckily, our conversation in from of them could only be heard by the both of us.

"Isabella isn't human." Edward just said. "She is... much more different than us, stronger than probably all of us put together."

"What is she?" Alice asked again. "Is she a danger to us?"

Rosalie snorted. "Of course she is a danger to all of us if Edward says that she is different."

"I didn't ask _you_, Rose." Alice snapped. "I was asking Edward—"

"When you could have just asked the question directly to Isabella." Edward glared at Alice. "I am not your messenger and you have your own mouth to ask whatever question you want."

Alice returned him the same look. "Fine." She sneered. Alice took a deep breath as turned to look at me. Her face was expressionless, determined not to break her façade. "What are you?"

I watched everyone's actions at the time Alice asked me. Everyone was at least an inch closer to me by now at their seats, wanting to know what I was.

"I am a... demon."

Rosalie rolled her eyes. "Please. You don't look like one—"

"A demon does not have to look like some little red creature prancing across fire." I shot a cold glance at her. "They can come in many different forms too, depending on their past backgrounds."

"So what was your past background, then?" Jasper spoke up.

"I was mortal— human. A witch came from hell to bring me back there since I was a deal my mother made with the devil. She wanted a child since she was infertile, so he granted her the chance to but he had to collect me once I hit maturity. It was a spring night in fourteen fifty-seven when the witch came. She killed my mother when my mother refused to tell her where I was. I ran away but the witch caught up to me and I told her forcefully that I did not want to go to hell. She was angry, so she made me a demon, saying that I was as good roaming around on Earth as being in hell." I explained.

This had always been the only part of the story I would tell. I wouldn't tell about what would happen the morning after or so. I preferred to keep it that way. Luckily the Cullens didn't pry any further and accepted my story.

"A demon?" Carlisle said. "Then how did you not react to the wooden cross at the door just now—"

"She did," Edward replied for me. "She panicked, saying that she couldn't get any closer to it or even touch it."

"Do you... run errands for the devil? Anything?"

"I... I do not." I said to Carlisle. "I am lucky enough to just roam around, but I do have weaknesses. Anything related to religion is... not such a good idea. Even if I pray to god myself, I get burns. I do not want to be this way. I want to believe in god like I used to before I knew about the deal my mother and the devil made, but it is just impossible now."

"Now that you're a demon, was there anything that changed?" Esme asked pitifully.

I breathed steadily. "Yes. My diet changed."

"What do you eat or drink now?" She prompted.

"I drink mortal souls out of humans."

The whole room went silent and I knew I said the wrong thing.

"For these past few weeks in Forks, who have you been... feeding on?" Alice asked.

"My butler, Henry, gets those who are unnoticed by the public for me. I did make one mistake though..." I winced, thinking about the man I killed last month.

"Isabella, who did you feed on?" Edward asked seriously, looking down at me straight.

"I... I am so sorry," I looked down.

"Did you feed on the man who has been missing since last month?" He prompted.

I winced again. "Edward, please."

"Isabella, if you did, be honest with me."

"I did."

Gasps were heard from all around the room and I looked up in Edward's eyes. "Edward, please do not leave me." I begged. "It was an accident. That man was trespassing on my property and I was just trying to loosen out my wings and that man was praying and I got burns, so I got mad and killed him out of anger."

Edward sighed. "Isabella..."

"You have the right to call me Bella, I do not mind." I told him. "Please, I apologize for what I have done. I regret about what I have done."

He pulled my body to his and hugged me comfortingly. I sighed into his cold body and hugged him back. He was my safe haven.

His finger ran through my long hair. "Oh Bella," he whispered. "I can't ever be angry at you."

"So, what now?" Rosalie rolled her eyes. "You both are dating? Well that isn't a surprise. Edward has always had a thing for dark, damaged items—"

"Rosalie." Edward warned. "You don't know what she's been through."

"Edward, you do not know the full story either. It does not matter if Rosalie mocks me." I told him. "I can fend for myself. I have been through much worse than worthless insults."

"Bella, what do you mean by 'the full story'? What is it that you're not telling us?"


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Hi hahah. I've got nothing to say so let's just get on with it.**

**RetroReaction is the 'sane' to my 'insane' hahahahah I'm not sure if it makes sense.**

**xx**

* * *

"Nothing, seriously," I quickly responded. "It might not be the full story, but it is pretty much all you need to know."

"Bella, are you sure?" Edward asked, his hand on my arm calming me with his touch.

"Yes, I swear it is nothing." I assured him.

They all eyed me suspiciously, but I guess it was because they didn't know whether to trust me. As I stood uncomfortably under their stares, my cellphone rang. The vibrations from it made me release a sigh of relief. This was my escape for even just a few minutes. I picked it up and a familiar voice chirped in my ear.

"Bella, I'm sorry for calling so late." Annie apologized.

I glanced up at everyone and Edward nodded as I looked at him pleadingly so that I could take this call privately. I went to the other room and smiled a little. "Oh, Annie. That's okay. Anything interesting happened today?"

"My friends came over," she exclaimed excitedly. "They like the castle!"

"Did you all have fun, then?" I asked.

"Yes, and they all asked about you since there are many paintings of you. I told them you are now studying in America." She said. "Have you made any friends?"

"Yes, although now one friend of mine is more than that, I think." I told her.

"A lover, you say?" I could literally hear her jumping on her toes as if she was in her ballet class.

"I never said I have a lover," I squinted playfully as if she was right in front of me.

"But you do, don't you?" She said. "Am I ever going to meet him?"

"Annie, you are too young to know about relationships!" I scolded. "It is not for your age."

"Does this mean that I'll get a new, uh...," she trailed off, ignoring my scoldings, "a new father?" She said in a soft tone.

"Annie," I sighed. "I did not know you thought of me as your mother, but I am not."

"You are like my mother," she whispered. "You are exactly like Mommy to me."

"Annie, my dear, I'm so touched," I wiped the tears that threatened to leak out of my eyes and took a deep breath. "I love you so much."

"I love you too, Bella." She said. "I miss you. When are you coming back?"

"Soon. Very soon." I said. "I love you."

"I love you too." She replied. "Bye."

She hung up first and I smiled, wiping the rest of the tears came out of my eyes. She was a gorgeous little thing, that girl. I knew that she loved me as much as she loved her mother, but I never thought I would be the mother she used to have. I sat down on a seat in the room I was in which I hadn't figured out what purpose it was for and took deep breaths. I cleared my thoughts and raked my fingers through my hair to clear my thoughts.

I heard footsteps coming my way and sat up straight to not allow anyone to see how I was slouching, something a gracious, elegant lady wasn't allowed to do. I smiled when I saw Edward. "Are you okay? You look like you just cried." Edward noted, kneeling on his both his knees as he face my direction.

"I am fine. My niece just told me I reminded her of her mother that she thinks of me as her foster one." I explained.

"That's nice." He smiled momentarily. He held my hands in his and looked away for a second. "Bella, you know that my family's just... a little wary of you. Your feasts and—"

"Are you going to leave me because of that?" I interrupted, my heart feeling a little heavier at the thought of him doing just that. "Are you going to leave me because of the monster I am?"

"Bella, you are not a monster. You have a pure kind soul. What you are does not define your true self. Don't think like that."

"I am more of a monster than you are. I have killed more innocent people and you have not seen how I am when I am not fed. You have a choice on what kind of blood you want to drink— I am stuck with feeding on mortal human souls forever." I whispered. "What I am _does_ define my true self— the one that's changed."

"Bella, love, you are wrong. You are still an innocent throughout everything you have gone through and you have taught me that I still am too. I used to think that... I was monster that didn't deserve happiness, but you've gone through more than me and from what I have seen, you're a selfless pure soul."

I broke down in tears. "I am no longer as pure as you think I am. My dignity has been stolen and I have never felt more disgusting and dirty before my mortal life. Every single day, I dress up like I have never been affected by anything but I have lost so many things on the way. I've lost so many things that I cannot afford to lose anymore people and things that mean the world to me, including you."

I could feel his hands grip mine tighter and I could see his knuckles turning paler than usual, which was an impossible white. "Bella... when you said your dignity has been stolen..."

"I was...," I struggled to say the word out of my mouth as I bit my tongue so hard it probably bled, "raped."

I looked up in Edward's eyes and they were like amber flames blowing wildly. I could hear the faint rumble in his chest that he was trying to control. "Who?"

"The devil."

He shut his eyes tightly. "Bella—"

"I found out the day after I turned into a demon. Apparently the devil wanted to check up on me while I was sleeping and probably could not resist. There was fresh blood on the skirt of my dress and on the bed. I was sore between my legs. I had love bites from my neck to my chest. It really was not hard to figure out since he left a note before leaving." I told him.

Edward didn't breathe for a moment as he reached out to tuck a lock of my brown hair behind my ear. He stared deep into my eyes as he did that and wiped away my tears with the side of his thumb.

"Say something." I begged.

"Tell me more."

"A few weeks later, I was throwing up and all. The major symptoms of pregnancy were there and it was obvious that the devil impregnated me. Only my closest handmaiden & I knew and I felt like I wanted to die, so I stole my father's dagger while he was sleeping in his chamber and drove the dagger into my stomach to kill myself and the devil's spawn too. It was painful enough to make me want to crawl into a hole and just die, but I could not. My handmaiden found me on the floor with the dagger in my hand. She washed off the blood and returned it secretly without my father knowing. I was still alive but I effectively killed the thing growing inside of me."

I watched Edward's reaction with every word I spoke— his eyes continued burning with anger and he was so quiet unlike anything I've ever seen. I placed my hand on his cheek comfortingly so that he could calm down, but I wasn't sure whether he was angry at me.

"Edward?" I mouthed, but no sound came out. He read my lips, though.

"I'm not mad at you." He reassured me as if he read my mind. "I'm just angry that you had to go through all of that and I want to hurt everyone who made your life miserable, but they're either an immortal higher than us or already dead."

"It's in the past." I reminded him. "Everything has already happened and it has led us to this." I held his hand and rubbed circles at the back of his hand with my thumb. "Us."

His arms wrapped around my body in a flash and I leaned into his, steadying my breaths. "I'm never letting you go and I'm never letting you feel the same hardship you've gone through ever again." He kissed my hair. "I love you so much."

"Thank you." My voice muffled by his t-shirt.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: So starting from next week onwards, I won't be updating so frequently because then I'd have my exams :( and it's exams period so... yeah. *cries* It's a short chapter, so sorry for how... short it is.**

**RetroReaction is that one person I cannot live without on FF. She paid me imaginary twenty bucks to say that.**

**xx Scarlett**

* * *

"You know, I was thinking of... bringing Annie here again, but this time it'll be permanent." I told Edward as we lied down in the middle of the forest, on the moss and grass as we stared up into the black glittery skies after going to his house to meet his family. I didn't want to disturb them any further, and Edward reluctantly agreed. I laid my head on his chest, not hearing any heartbeat of his since he didn't have one.

"You're bringing your niece over?" He asked. "When?"

"I am not sure. I'll probably go back to Devon first during winter holidays since I pretty much do not anything to stay for. Maybe you can follow me back home." I rested my chin on his chest as I looked at him in the eye.

"I'll have to think about it," he ran his fingers through my hair. "Now we need to get you home. It's late."

"It barely is." I retorted. "Half past nine does not make any difference."

He sighed. "Your butler may be worried about where you are. Come now."

I rolled my eyes and gave in, standing up on the balls of my feet. My toes grabbed onto the green grass as I held my heels in my hands. Edward got up too on his own and he bent down a little on one knee away from me.

"Get on me. I'll bring you back." He said. "Come on."

I laughed as I interlocked my arms and ankles around his neck and waist. He stood up again without difficulty and ran. The way he ran was so fast that all I could see was blurred green and brown past us. The cooling air raised goosebumps on my skin and made me hold on to Edward tighter. He felt so cold and hard against my warm, soft skin. He was the opposite side of me physically, but it was comforting.

I hid my face in the crook of his neck and closed my eyes. I could feel the movement in his legs get slower and I knew that we were nearing my house. He stopped suddenly and I opened my eyes, letting go of his neck and waist. I landed on my bare feet with grass beneath them. We were at the backyard of the house.

"Do you want to go inside?" I asked him.

He shook his head. "You need to sleep. There's still school tomorrow."

I sighed. "Alright. Goodnight."

"Goodnight." He lifted my hand with his and kissed the back of my knuckles, his topaz eyes trained on my ice blue ones. The moment his lips made contact with my skin, I felt like I was ablaze. I stood there, mesmerized by his beauty— the way his nose was impossibly straight, his skin was cold and utterly pale, his eyes were a buttery tone with passion and love alight in them, his chiseled jaw that seemed like he was crafted by the world's most gifted sculptor and his soft, bronze messy hair that no one could ever achieve. He was beautiful.

He pulled me towards him and I looked up into his eyes again. We locked gazes as his hands held the small of my back gently, almost as if I was going to fall if he ever let me go. He started moving, almost rhythmically, as if he was slow-dancing. I took his right hand in mine and he looked a little surprise by my action but then realized what I was doing. I placed my right hand on the side of his waist. One side of his lips quirked up as he looked at our joined hands.

"What is it?" I asked softly, but my voice sounded a bit off for the mood.

"I'm supposed to go back." He replied.

"Stay," I told him. "Just for this... dance?"

"Okay." He said, leading the whole mindless dance we were doing. He leaned in to kiss my cheek and I smiled a little in content. "You don't mind me kissing you, do you?"

"You know how old-fashioned I am." I chuckled.

"Yes I do," he replied, laughing too.

"But if the kiss is as chaste as this," I started, then tip-toed a little to press my lips against his for a second, "then I might just allow it."

"You just ruined our first kiss by using it as an example." He deadpanned.

"If it is used as an example, then it is not considered our first kiss." I corrected him.

"You've made your point there."

"Of course I did. I always do," I smiled. "Now, how did you imagine our first kiss to be like?"

"I was thinking, something like this— at night with the forest behind us, slow-dancing like this, and just sneaking in the kiss like this," he then leaned in again and his lips captured mine. They then started to move, and so I kissed him back with my eyes closed and my mouth accidentally opened, causing Edward to think that I wasn't opposed to the idea of french kissing. Surprisingly, I just allowed him to kiss me back the same way I accidentally did to him.

I pulled away unwillingly. "This was used an example, so I do not think that is considered our first kiss."

"Alright then." Once again, he kissed me with the same pace we left off. Our mouths and tongues smoothly danced like how the most angelic voices were supposed to sound with music. I savored the moment— the way his lips moved with mine, the way he tasted and the feel of his hand in mine with another at my back.

This wasn't going to be a moment I could easily forget. I then realized that I had finally found trust in who neither was a descendant of mine nor a person who worked for me. This was someone outside of any of that. It was refreshing to finally share everything with someone who understood me on such a personal level. I wasn't going to lose him that easily.

He groaned and his lips wasn't anywhere near mine anymore. I opened my eyes to see his smoldering golden-brown ones staring into mine with such an intense feel to them.

"As much as I would love to kiss you until the end of the world, you're making it hard for me to control myself." He said, his hand from my back moving up to feel my flushed cheek beneath his fingers.

"That was really such a anti-climatic line." I told him, laughing. I let go of his hand and was on the way to enter the house through the back door. I turned around to see him still rooted to the ground. "I will see you tomorrow."

"Me too." He shook his head out of his daze and looked at me. "I'll miss you."

"I think I will miss you too." I scrunched up my eyebrows for a second. "Be careful on the way back."

"Yeah, I will. I love you."

"You're saying that an awful amount of times for today ever since realizing that you do." I remarked jokingly before entering the house.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: I'm in the middle for exams and I'm still updating. Pray for me that I'll pass all my papers, or I will probably be grounded from the computer and I won't be updating.**

**Pay attention to the song that's going to be mentioned below, since it plays a great role in the plot of the story. Oh, and listen to Taylor Swift's cover of it. It's absolutely gorgeous.**

**RetroReaction is probably the only person I have gone over two hundred PMs with. She deserves at least a shoutout. And you still deserve a selfie with me and Kristen. How about a selfie with Kristen in a poster?**

**xx**

* * *

I was back in school, and this time I managed to get a piece of mind. Edward's coven was missing at school today, himself included. The sun was out, which was pretty much a valid reason for then to stay out of any mortal's sight. When I asked Angela what was their excuse, she said that they'll always be hiking on sunny days like this.

"When did you move in to Forks, by the way?" She asked me.

"A week before summer vacation ended for you all," I replied, bemused. "Why do you ask?"

"My dad's a minister, so I go to church every Sunday. I've never seen you at church before. Do you... you know, wanna go this Sunday?" She held her books close to her chest as we walked through the hallways filled with students.

"I do not think I, uh... should go." I adjusted my handbag to my other shoulder as I gulped uneasily.

"Why?" She frowned at me. "You don't go to church?"

"Uhm, I assume you are Lutheran, so I cannot go." I lied. "I am Catholic."

Her face faltered. "Oh. Well, that's okay." She smiled sadly, then looked forward. Her face changed. "Oh no, I don't think you'd like this."

I looked at the direction she was looking in and quickly looked back at her, as if I never saw him. "Why does he always keep hounding me like a stubborn pig?" I grimaced.

"I don't think I can help you with this now," she looked guilty. "I'll see you in class."

"No, Angela, don't leave me!" I grabbed her by her waist and begged her with my eyes.

She shook her head apologetically. "I can't. I have some unfinished homework to complete. I'm so sorry."

I had to let her go unwillingly and I turned away from the direction I intended to go to. I walked as fast as possible at a mortal speed, but even that couldn't help me. By the time I felt a hand on my shoulder, I felt the need to have my meal right there in front of everyone. My mouth watered a little as I thought of that.

"Isabella, hey." Mike greeted. His arm was around me, as if he was claiming me as his. I gritted my teeth silently. The Burberry cape I was wearing was over £2400. Just with his presence, my poor designer cape was suffering.

"Good morning, Mr. Newton." I smiled as pleasantly as I could.

"Where's Cullen? Aren't you both... _friends_?" He asked, spitting out the last word.

"You need to learn how to give a lady some space, Mr. Newton." I told him. "I cannot... breathe. I do not have space, as you can see, because you are invading it."

"So you let Cullen put his arm around you, but I can't. What kind of bullshit is this?" He pushed me against the lockers with a bang and his hands were either side of my body. I gave him an unwithering glare as his face went upclose to mine. "I know you want me, Isabella."

"I am the Countess of Devon, and I do not want such people like you around me. You are a gleeking, ill-bred scut, and I order you to leave. Now." I hissed.

"No."

I felt my eyes twitching so badly and I knew my eye colors were changing non-stop, from blue to purple to green to brown and even to black. He looked frightened about that and backed away a little.

I smiled menacingly at him. "Watch your back, Mr. Newton, because you may never know when your last day will ever be. Your soul may be the best meal I will ever have."

He widened his eyes in fright and ran away down the halls. I took a deep breath and smiled, brushing off his dirt from my cape. I continued walking down to my first class.

* * *

"Good afternoon, beautiful," Edward smiled his signature crooked smile as I opened the door personally. I rolled my eyes and allowed him to come inside.

"Edward, stop that." I told him, but he lifted my hand just like last night and placed a hot kiss on my bare knuckles, making me flush unintentionally. My fingertips tingled since I wasn't wearing my gloves now.

"Stop what?" He smirked.

"I have been through too much today. Do not push me any further." I simply replied.

"Really?" He cocked an eyebrow. "What happened?"

"Mike Newton practically pounced on me."

His teasing mood immediately dampened. His eyebrows were now crunched up together in a serious frown. He wasn't happy about what had happened. "What?"

"He took the advantage of you not being in school to make a move on me. I managed to scare him off and I do not think he will be in contact with me for the rest of my years in here." I waved my hand to dismiss the subject and Edward was reluctant to let it go, but agreed to. "Any mentions of me around the Cullen household this morning?"

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "It's been hell. Almost everyone in the house doesn't like you. My siblings, especially. Alice doesn't like you, but she doesn't hate you either. Jasper hates you because he's feeling what Rosalie feels towards you and Emmett, Esme & Carlisle are curious about you. They keep asking how you were last night since we left abruptly."

"Well, I sure am a household name." I sarcastically said.

I brought him upstairs and I could hear some of my music that was playing in my bedroom. I entered the room and wanted to turn it off, but Edward stopped me.

"Don't," he said suddenly. "I like this song."

"You... You like this song? Well, this one is a cover. By Taylor Swift." I widened my eyes. "This song is probably one of my favorite modern-day songs. _Riptide_ is a beautiful song."

"The words behind the song might sound pretty nonsensical, but I actually get it."

"Really? What is it about?" I prompted, wanting to hear his interpretation of this song.

"This man was in love with a beautiful girl, who was living a dark and dangerous life and she's accepting that fact. He puts her in front of everyone else and his friends are envious of him for getting such a beautiful girl, and she's capable of even acting. He's just worried about her future due to the new dangerous life she lives." He explained.

I stared at him in shock. He really was good at interpreting texts.

"_I swear she's destined for the screen; closest thing to Michelle Pfeiffer that you've ever seen. Lady, running down to the riptide, taken away to the dark side— I wanna be your left hand man. I love you when you're singing that song and I've got a lump in my throat 'cause you're gonna sing the words wrong._" He absentmindedly sang quietly in his smooth caramel voice as the song neared its end.

"I really love that version of the song," I commented when it ended. I quickly turned off my iPod and took a deep breath. "Do you want to... go to Seattle for a moment? I think that it would be nice to go sightseeing in America. I have not left the town ever since I sent Annie to the airport."

His face broke into a crooked smile. "Sure."


End file.
